The Novelist
by Crystal Wing on Fragile String
Summary: "From what Jinora tells me, what I want to write is an autobiography, but an autobiography is just about the author. Yes, this is my story and this is my point of view, but it's also Jinora's story. And it's Shin's story, Bolin's and Mako's story, Ikki's story, Amon's story, and maybe even your story. Who knows for sure?" -Skoochy
1. Introduction

**This is just an intro to a story I want to try, so give it a shot and tell me what you think in a review, please. Remember, anything you recognize isn't mine. I want to incorporate a lot of allusions to books, songs, videos etc. so see if you can find them!**

Dear Republic City,

No... Dear United Nations,

Better but maybe... Dear everyone, be you with the Spirits or not?

How does one start a novel? "Once upon a time"? No, too fairytale-esque. "It was a dark and stormy night"? No, too dark. "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a man in possession of great fortune must be in want of a wife"? Hah, that's completely opposite of what this story is even about.

From what Jinora tells me, what I want to write is an autobiography, but an autobiography is just about the author. Yes, this is my story and this is my point of view, but it's also Jinora's story. And it's Shin's story, Bolin's and Mako's story, Ikki's story, Amon's story, and maybe even your story. Who knows for sure? All I know is that this is gonna be a helluva lot to write and Spirits know how many hand cramps I'm gonna get, so sit back and enjoy the work that has had me shedding blood, sweat, and (surprisingly enough) tears.

I hope you like it enough to justify my carpal tunnel.

-Skoochy


	2. Rough Beginnings

**Yay! Chapter one time! Remember to review! I still don't own anything you recognize (no references in this chapter though)!**

I was always living on the streets, ever since I was a kid. My father had been a prideful man (maybe sensitive due to his inability to bend) and when his honor was offended, he challenged the person who'd insulted him to a fight. One day, he picked a Republic City metalbender and was promptly arrested on the spot. A few other metalbenders came to my home to inform his family, me and my mother. That's when they found me, malnourished and neglected by my earthbending mother who had better things to do than care for her 1 and a half year old child, namely drinking.

It only took them seconds to transfer me to the orphanage. It took me weeks to learn that my mom had died of alcohol poisoning.

"Avatar Aang Memorial Orphanage" wasn't a bad place. The monks took care of us and kept us fed, but we weren't allowed to bend. Anyone caught bending would be on the monks' "stink-eye list", as the older kids called it. Maybe they had that same sensitivity that my father had.

When I thought about it that way, the less I liked the place. Everything began to remind me of my father. That's why I was happy when I was finally adopted when I was around 4.

The Wans were so nice when they adopted me, always asking how I was and if I liked this or that. When I found that I was an earthbender, they were genuinely happy for me. I knew them as "Mom" and "Dad", and I loved them wholeheartedly. My new Mom, a nonbender, worked for Cabbage Corp and my new Dad, a waterbender, a fisherman. We lived happy simple lives and they taught me how to fish (albeit poorly), bargain, and what it was like to be loved.

Being loved as a child feels like soft wet mud on your feet and between your toes. It feels like sand from the beach that somehow got under your shirt. Like lying next to the window like a bear-cat so that the sun warms your whole soul. Sometimes it was irritating, but mostly it's a pleasing feeling.

At least, until it's gone.

You see, around the time I was 6, Mrs. Sato died. All of a sudden, Satomobiles weren't being invented and improved. The economy went down and my parents, who weren't making much money in the first place, were being paid even less. We were officially dirt poor.

One day, Mom and Dad came to me with sad looks on their faces. Mom looked ready to break and Dad seemed to be on the verge of tears himself. Or maybe my memory serves only to try and flatter me. No matter how they looked though, it didn't change what they said.

"Skooch, you know times are hard now." my adopted mother began.

"We can barely afford food and we both think you deserve so much better." Dad jumped in.

"Please," Mom begged. "You have to know we have no other choice and that we love you as if you were our own son!"

I was shaking by now and could only look them in the eyes just enough to see my suddenly ex-father bending back his tears.

"Goodbye son."

I was left with some of my belongings, the others I told them to pawn, at the door step to a new orphanage. This one was nothing at all like the first. I was fed, but only enough to keep me alive, I was "too old" to need caring for, and bending was encouraged when punishing other children. I stayed for a little over a month until a particularly harsh beating for "eating too fast" made me crack. I bended pieces of the orphanage's off-white brick wall at the floor around my tormentor to create a blinding dust cloud and a hole large enough to escape out of.

After that, I vowed no more orphanages. I also met Shady Shin, but that can wait until next chapter.


	3. Shady Shin

**And enter: Shady Shin. I own nothing but the smile on my face when you leave a review!**

I was trying to fish when Shady Shin found me. He had a pointed face, thin, tight smile, and brown greasy hair, same as today. I had just speared a decent fish when a fish twice as big was waterbent over to me in a giant bubble. Just like Mom, I remember thinking briefly. I looked up at this amazing man, wondering if my adopted mother's kind traits and generosity were shared too.

"Nice catch, street rat. Your fish might feed a fire ferret. Too bad." he sneered at me.

I grabbed my fish, shoved my hands in my pockets, and started to walk away. I had met people like these and I wanted no affiliation with that one whatsoever, who cares if he could waterbend.

"Hey urchin!" he called after me. "Come back! I'm feeling generous today; maybe I'll teach you a lesson."

Curious, I walked cautiously back to where I was previously spear fishing.

He told me his name was Shin. He taught me how to find food that was prepared by people who actually knew how to cook. He showed me whose pockets were biggest and how to pick them.

In return, I promised to "donate" some of my "earnings" once a week.

I excelled at pickpocketing and was often aided by using earthbending to trip people. Sometimes, I'd run into other gang members. They never noticed me and I remember mentioning this to Shin.

"Do you often overhear them? Are there Agni Kais? Monsoons?"

"Members of all the gangs," I assured him. "I hear whole conversations without being caught."

"What do they say?" I remember him asking eagerly.

Seeing a place for a bargain, I told him I needed something to "jog my memory", like in those drive-in films I had snuck into.

Laughing, he had told me to be careful when I used that, depending on whether the other person has a knife they are willing to hold to my throat. I took those words to heart and they saved me from many a life-or-death situation. In return, Shin, or Shady Shin as I began to teasingly call him, gradually became my friend. He told me of his orphanage, something that I feel isn't mine to share, his employment (the Triple Threat Triads) and the secret to getting far in life, "don't ask stupid questions", which later evolved into "don't ask questions". That principle was extremely helpful when dealing with the Triads. Not that the Triads were cruel. I think the only reason they weren't was because they needed information and their informants could be distinguished as Triple Threat members. A gang war was the last thing they wanted, according to some security guards I met one day. Their names were Mako and Bolin.


	4. The Fabulous Bending Bodyguards?

**I'M BACK, AND I'M BACKER THAN EVER!**

**I'd tell you about my amazing travels to foriegn countries, making new foriegn friends with cool accents, and how wearing a dress somehow made me more popular, but you don't really care, do you?**

**Introducing the fabulous bending brothers, pre-fame! I own nothing you recognize. One of my friends says "What the flying tortoise?" though. I had to use that. Sorry Julie!**

**Remember to review!**

As security guards, they looked pretty intimidating for their age, Mako being fifteen and Bolin thirteen. When you got a close look at them though, you could tell Mako was having trouble hiding how scared he was. Bolin looked eerily happy.

Apparently, I was a pretty tough looking nine year old because when I asked them if it was their first job with the Triads, they jumped a foot in the air.

"Why do you ask?" the older one frowned at me suspiciously.

"You need to conceal your emotions better if you wanna go far." I told him helpfully. "You," I pointed at him, "Are freaked out." he quickly fixed his face to be emotionless. "You," I pointed at the younger one, "What's with the creepy smile?"

"He's always smiling," the older one said putting an arm around the younger.

"You two brothers?"

They nodded. "Who are you?" the younger brother asked.

"Call me Skoochy. I give people information and part time pickpocket."

The younger one frowned saying, "You're a thief! Mako said we wouldn't have to deal with any Triad thieves! That's the only reason we took this job! No thieving!"

"Bolin, be quiet." the Mako gave Bolin a soft warning glare.

"Don't fret, I'm no Triad thief. I don't belong to a gang. I'm just a street rat."

"What do your parents think?" the kid Bolin yell-asked me.

"Bolin!" the kid in question got a harsher glare.

"My parents probably wouldn't give a flying tortoise." I told him blankly. "If they were even alive."

I waited for the disgusting looks of sympathy but instead saw understanding in their eyes.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures," said Mako quietly, on the brink of tears. "Our parents' deaths are our reasons for taking this job."

"You could have worse jobs in the Triads." I offered. "Just ask Shady Shin."

"Shin?" they said in unison.

"How do you know Shin?" Bolin asked, wiping up tears that had fallen.

"He's an old friend." Three years was a long time, right? It felt like a lifetime to me. "He taught me how to pickpocket and I usually give him information I overhear from other gangs."

Mako smiled a bit. "So, Shady Shin then? It fits."

Bolin nodded, agreeing. "I think it'll catch on."

I heard footsteps coming from an alley. Voices were whispering too.

"I gotta go guys." I told them. "You have company. Remember, no emotions."

With that, I earthbent myself out of there and on top of a nearby building.

"Well, well, well." said a voice behind me.

**Dun. Dun. Duuuuuuuuuunn. Cliffie for you! Remember to review! I won't update until I get 2 reviews. I'll set the bar low.**


	5. Advice

**This one's going to be short, but bear with me, ok? Reviews make me want to play ukulele with my new skills. If you've heard the song "You and I" by Ingrid Michealson, you know that ukulele in the beginning? I can play that. Sure, it's all one note but…**

**-awkward cough- R&R**

**ALSO: Anonymous guest who said Bolin seemed weak: I get what you're saying, but I feel like we'd all seem weak if we were in a completely new situation, especially a questionable one where we're pretty alone. **

I was paralyzed for a moment, then, recognizing the voice, I turned to face Shady Shin.

"Shady, don't scare me like that. I was just helping out the new guys."

Shin rolled his eyes. "That is such a stupid nickname."

I smirked, "Mako and Bolin seemed to like it, they said it'd catch on."

His eyes bugged. "You're not... Befriending recruits are you? Skooch, you know that's a bad idea. Especially if they end up in a gang war."

I dropped my gaze. "I know, no befriending recruits. Don't worry about it. I won't talk to them."

His gaze softened. "I just don't want you heartbroken, Skooch. You understand, right?"

I thought of the last time he saw me heartbroken, when I told him my story.

"I get it Shin."

**Oh my Gandhi, I feel really bad about that being a whole chapter. I'm a horrible person, it's true. Don't worry though, the next chapter is going to be way longer.**

**Remember, I own absolutely nothing.**


	6. Pabu

**Entering the scene: Pabu! Finally, the beloved fire ferret makes an appearance! Hooray!**

**I own nothing. Not even the ukulele mentioned in the previous chapter.**

I met Mako and Bolin again a few months later by accident.

I was in my new spot in Central City station just sitting, waiting, wishing an Agni Kai or a Monsoon would walk by saying something interesting, when I saw Mako and Bolin.

_Crap._

I slunk further into the shadows, praying to the Spirits he wouldn't see me.

_Squeak!_

The Spirits were not in a giving mood it seemed.

I had accidentally stepped on the tail of a baby fire ferret.

"Stupid rat-thing!"

I quickly moved my foot and picked up.

Too late, Mako had heard the squeak and seen me.

"Smooth," he said sarcastically. "It's no wonder you manage to collect information and go unseen."

I thrust the stupid ferret at Bolin "I was just uh, getting this animal." Bolin was now stroking the creature. "I saw it and it reminded me of Bolin. He seems like an animal kind of guy. Cute, huh?"

I silently thanked whoever sent that furry rat-thing under my foot.

"Awww! Thanks Skoochy! Can we keep him Mako?"

Mako smiled wryly. "Bolin, how about 'The Fire Ferrets'?"

Bolin gasped. "It's perfect! This little guy could be our mascot!"

Mako just stared. "Bolin, we can barely feed ourselves."

"I'll take care of him!" the kid volunteered.

"Uh, what's going on?" I interjected.

Bolin smiled sheepishly. "Sorry. We have been planning on being probenders as soon as we're old enough." he turned back to the fire ferret in his arms. "I'm gonna keep you, and care for you, and name you Pabu."

Pabu gave me a pleading look with his beady eyes. _Nope, you got yourself into this buddy._

Mako snorted. "Ok Bo, just as long as you can feed it." he started walking away. "Thanks Skoochy, see ya around."

_Probending, huh?_ I decided to check the age limits on that ASAP.

**Hey there. Sorry, it's been awhile hasn't it? I suck :(**

**I don't want to make excuses but: school has been crazy, there's this guy, my parents want me going into Oxford or Harvard or something on a scholarship, I went and saw Les Mis live, semester finals are coming up, there's this guy, I might be developing this thing called a life in which I have friends who enjoy things called parties and hanging out (weird...), musical rehearsal is like all the time, I have to build sets over break, there's this guy, I scratched my cornea, a guy fell on my head, I'm not home sick as much as last year, and yeah. Life, you don't know it's coming until it hits you like some careless dude's ass it your face.**

**I'm sorry, but he never apologized and I ended up missing my voice lesson because I could barely stand and then I had to lie there on a bed next to my friend's ex while he blasted Deadmau5. No offense to people who like that, my brother is one of you, but that isn't fun, especially with a headache.**

**So anyway, rant over. Gonna go write more Novelist and see Les Miserables in movie form tomorrow. BRING ON THE INSPIRATION!**


	7. Probending Problems

**Hey internet. Working extra hard to apologize, see?**

**I got a door-sized TARDIS poster for holiday. It ended up being the size of a hobbit's door. Sigh…**

**At least I get to tell people my room is bigger on the inside.**

**Disclaimer: If you think I own LoK and your IQ was 2 points higher, you'd be a blanket.**

The fates sure are strange when it comes to meeting familiar faces.

I met Mako and Bolin once again after a few months.

"I don't know what you want me to tell you kid. I said you can't fight and I am not bending the rules."

I had gone to see Toza, the manager of the probending arena. I needed an honest job, a way out of the gangs, and there was an opening on a new team.

"Toza, please, I need this job more than you know!" I was begging. Things were getting rough and there were rumors on the street of a gang war. They always send out the expendables first to scope out the enemy. I knew my place from the very start.

Toza's eyes hardened. "Everyone needs the job more than I know!" he barked. "You're not the only one with a rough past."

I swallowed hard. "Please just give me a chance."

He softened for a moment. "Look kid, I'm sure you're a good fighter, but you're too young. Maybe in a few years."

I pleaded and pleaded with him until finally he hollered, "Hey! New guys! Get rid of this one, would you? Can't take no for an answer!"

I stayed, hoping these new guys would take pity on me. What I saw I couldn't believe.

"Skoochy?" Mako peered at me. "Is that really you?"

"Hello Mako, Bolin. I-I wanted out. You understand why I had to try."

Bolin looked at Mako expectantly. "Can't we-"

"No." Mako cut in. "I'm sorry, Skoochy, but there's no way you can pass as old enough to legally get the crap beaten out of you."

They walked me out in silence.

"If you know anyone from the streets who is old enough," Mako said hesitantly. "I suppose we could give them a shot. I'm sorry Skoochy."

I didn't say anything. What was I supposed to say? Hey, I know someone and you know what, I feel like their life is much more important than mine so why don't you give them a job? People, as much as they hate to admit it, value their own life above others'. I'm not the one exception to the rule.

I began walking away, but before I got very far I heard Bolin shout "Hey!"

I whirled around. Had they changed their minds? Would they toss some yuans my way as a way of apologizing and thanking me for helping them so many moons ago when they were in my situation?

No. Bolin was holding up a furry red creature that resembled a rat.

_Wait a minute…_

"Pabu?"

Bolin smiled. "We're the Fire Ferrets thanks to you."

I turned away.

_Some thanks…_

**Well that was depressing! Hope this helps make up for all the time I was gone!**

**As always… REVIEW PLEASE!**


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